Continents occupy a modest part of the surface of our planet, although it is called the Earth. Water areas are much more extensive, but continents are still not fully explored. And if we still can’t investigate some remote corners of the planet properly, then what we should talk about? There are still no explored areas on every continent, despite the rise of science and technology.
Top facts about continents
- The existence of the southern continent, Antarctica, was predicted by scientists centuries before its presence was confirmed by brave explorers.
- The largest continent is Eurasia, which is divided into two parts of the world, Asia and Europe.
- There are unexplored areas on every continent. Deserts in the heart of Australia, Asian mountain areas, or impassable jungles of South America, for example.
- The highest continent is Antarctica. Its average height is 7700 feet (2200 meters) above sea level, which is 2.5 times more than the average height of Asia.
- Due to the special atmospheric conditions, the sun in Antarctica looks green at sunset… Sometimes, under certain conditions.
- Scientists suggest that the hypothetical continent of Zealand broke off from Australia more than 100 million years ago, and it went underwater 22-23 million years ago. According to this theory, New Zealand islands are at the tops of their highest mountain peaks.
- Continents do not stop their movement even nowadays. Thus, the shores of the Pacific ocean move away from each other a few centimeters a year.
- Antarctica accounts for 90 percent of all the ice on our planet.
- Eurasia is the only continent washed by four oceans.
- The most mountainous continent is Eurasia. The second one is South America.
- Australia is the smallest of the continents. For a long time, it was even offered to be considered an island.
- According to the calculations of polar explorers, in Antarctica wind carry into the sea about 2 million tons of snow per year from each kilometer of the coastline.
- More than 10% of all continent’s surfaces are covered by permanent ice cover.
- The least studied continent for obvious reasons is still Antarctica.
- The most dangerous continent is Australia. Since it broke away from the giant continent ages ago, there remained many relict forms of life, and they are very dangerous sometimes.